Starting Fresh
by Katie316
Summary: A MeredithMark fic set at the end of Where the Boys Are. What if Meredith had decided to give Mark a chance and start fresh? Should be interesting as usually I am completely MerDer. But the muses were smiling down on me.
1. Prologue

**This is a Meredith /Mark fic. It's set at the end of Where The Boys Are when he asks her to start fresh. Usually I'm completely MerDer but I got the idea for this one so I decided to run with it! If you all like it let me know...the more reviews I get the more inspired to update I am. )**

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Mark and Meredith were sitting at a table in the back of Joe's Bar, having a drink after a long shift at the hospital.

"This could be just a drink...or it could be more than a drink." Mark flashed her that almost desperate look that would vanish just before you realized what he meant by it.

"I can't start something with you" Meredith answered smiling and shaking her head.

"You could," he said with a nod, "Start over Meredith, start fresh." His beeper started going off. "Saved by the bell" he murmured standing up, he pick up his beer and finished it off, "Order me another beer." He gave her his best McSteamy look before walking away.

Meredith laughed at him to herself as walked over the bar. _Starting something with Mark Sloan would be crazy...or ...no it is. It would just be CRAZY...He is kinda sexy,_ she thought to herself smiling so wide her cheeks were starting to hurt, _No, bad Meredith. I have to remember to slap my wrists later._

"Hi. I'm Derek Shepard". An all too familar face was now looking at her smiling with his hand held out to her.

Meredith laughed a cynical laugh out loud as she was looking at his hand. Then she looked up at him, "What are you doing?"

Derek's smile got bigger, "We met at this bar, you remember? We met and well you said, 'I'm just a girl' and I said 'I'm just a guy' and we started this thing." His eyes were shining bright with love and reminiscence, "We started this thing and you didn't know anything about me. The good, bad, wife. You didn't know even know my name," he smiled a little bigger, "You didn't know me, I want you to know me. I want to start over from the begginning...So, Hi, I'm Derek Shepard." He held out his hand again but she still didn't take it.

_He can't just do this, tell me that he wants to take time one day and then as soon as he's ready he expects me to just fall back into his arms like nothing has happened...Thats not how this works!_ Meredith took a deep breath, "You walked away, and now it's too late. There too much water under the thing or whatever."

_I love Derek but what if...there are too many what ifs. That is the problem. _

At that moment Mark walked up a couple of feet behind Derek and the smile on his face slowly faded when he saw the look on Meredith's face.

"Meredith...Please" Derek got that soft look on his face the was just like he was saying 'I'll love you forever if you just do what I asked' that you're the only one for me look. Then he smiled and went all McDreamy.

"I can't Derek. You hurt me and now I need time to find myself, start fresh with myself. I'm not sure that you're the best choice for me. I'm not sure you're the person who would never hurt me anymore. I'm just not ready."

" I completely understand. I'll be here whenever you decide. Whenever you realize that we really do belong together." He smiled again and walked out of the bar, fully confident that it wouldn't take Meredith long to make the realization.

Mark walked up to her with the slightest bit of confusion painted on his face. "Why did you turn him down?" he asked curiously.

Meredith smiled, "Just like I said I'm not so sure that he is the one who 'would never hurt me' thats what I'm looking for." She laughed at Mark and said, "And while I know you would and probably will hurt me, in all fairness you did ask for the fresh start first."

**Well it was kind of hard to write Meredith picking Mark but when I first saw that episode I thought well..what if? I hope you all liked it! This was kind of like the intro, the next chapter will be the first date. Please review and I will love you forever.**

**Oh I forgot the disclaimer: I do not, and sadly never will, own Grey's Anatomy or any of these characters.**


	2. Reminiscent Dating

**Thank you so much for the reviews, it made me want to update as soon as possible (right after the new episode tonight!) As for the comment about wanting to see Derek find out I think that Mark and Meredith are going to keep it under wraps for awhile. You know how things can get at work...tee hee. Its been about three days since the night at the bar.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of these characters.**

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Meredith was in the bathroom touching up her lipstick when Izzie appeared in the doorway with a cup of hot tea.

"So really Meredith why are you not with Derek? For nearly eight months you went around here sulking because you wanted him and now you're the one whose turning him down? Thats weird Mer."

"I've already told you Izzie I'm just not sure that he's the one who is gonna...do the ..stuff. You know all you need to know is that I'm taking time for myself and that the possibility of Derek is not totally gone but its not gonna happen right now." She put the cap back on her lipstick and gave Izzie a stern look.

Izzie started following her down the hall, "So who are you going out with then?"

_God she is such a gossip. _"Izzie! Its casual and every time you find out about something it turns into a big thing. No details!"

"It's someone I know isn't it, thats why he's not picking you up, you don't want us to see him huh?" Izzie was just going on and on with that almost crazy glint in her eye.

Meredith let out an exasperated sigh and turned around, "The reason that I am meeting him at the restaurant is because the whole taking me home and walking me to the door thing usually leads to him coming in and that leads to sex and I am not starting anymore possible relationships with sex. Ok?"

"Ok, ok," They were now standing at the front and Meredith was putting her coat on, "Have fun." Izzie said with a smile in an almost cynical voice.

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Meredith walked into the restuarant a little nervous and went up to the host, "I'm meeting Mark Sloan", she said to the guy.

"Follow me, please," he said and starting leading her to a table in the back of the restuarant by a window. When they got near to the table where Mark was sitting. He stood up and waited for her to sit down. He already has a glass of scotch and the sexy McSteamy smile was already in place.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," Meredith said back sittin gdown in her chair. _Wow this is actually kind of awkward, what am I doing this is Mark Sloan we can't actually do this._

"So this is a little awkward isn't it?" Mark asks noticing the look on her face. She just wrinkled her nose and nodded. "Well then do you want to try small talk or just get right to the past relationship talk." Mark said seriously lacking in tact.

Meredith laughed and replied, "Lets get on with it I guess, you start...tell me all about Addison"

"No you go first, I don't actually know any of the past Derek and Meredith story...just whats happened at prom and after that." Mark said he needed a little coaxing before he started talking about Addie.

"Ok but I'm going to make this fast.Me and Derek met at Joe's the night before we both started working at the hospital, he was charming and we were both drunk so we ended up in bed," she stopped and kind of giggled a little, "actually I guess we ended up on the livingroom floor. Anyway after I found out he was my boss I stopped it and told him we had to be professional -- "

Mark laughed, "Wow thats not the way I heard it."

"Shut up I'm getting to that part. ANYWAY... he kept on persueing me and finally I gave in. In a few weeks I was totally head-over-heels in love...then Addison showed up. And you know the rest." Meredith grabbed a piece of bread of the table that the waiter had brought while she was telling her story and took a bite of it. "Ok you're turn."

The waiter walked up to the table and took their order.

"Ok well, its Addison. I loved her ever since the first time me and Derek saw her at that party in school. But she picked Derek you know he was a great guy and he really was the safest choice and she loved him so much so I never said anything about my feelings to anyone," his face was softening and he was looking very unMark like it was starting to creep Meredith out to see a human side of him, "Then the marrige started going and he was absent so I guess when she couldn't have him anymore she turned to the next best thing. Then when I actually voiced it and told her that I loved her she ran back here to Derek. I don't actually think she ever really loved _me_."

As soon as he finished talking the food arrived and they spend the rest of dinner eating in silence. When they were finished he paid the bill, walked her to the car and gave her a light kiss goodnight.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said he opened the car door and smiled at her.

"Yeah see you".

**I hope you all liked it. I wanted Meredith (and all of us) to get to see the softer side of Mark to see that he really is human and has feelings just like everybody else even though he doesn't always express them properly. And he got all weird after he did express them because he's not used to feeling comfortable enough to talk about it.The next chapter will be at the hospital the next day and I hope to include some clever banter if I can come up with anything.**


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